Historical Background: General

The Julio-Claudian dynasty, which was established by Augustus, came to an end with Nero's death in 68 C.E. Vespasian was proclaimed emperor in 69 C.E. and established the Flavian dynasty. He was succeeded by his sons Titus (who had overseen the siege of Jerusalem) and Domitian. The Flavians used their victory over the Jews to legitimize their newly founded dynasty. They filled Rome with victory monuments commemorating the “Jewish war,” including the Colosseum (Flavian amphitheater) and the arch of Titus. They also broadcast their victory on a special series of coins bearing the legend “Judea Capta,” which depict the province of Judea as a mourning woman (see Chapter 7). After the destruction of the Jerusalem temple, the Jews were required to pay the annual temple tax to the Capitolium in Rome.

The Flavian dynasty came to an end with Domitian, an unpopular ruler who was assassinated in 96 C.E. The Roman Senate nominated the next emperor, an elderly but highly regarded statesman named Nerva. Nerva established the long-lived Antonine dynasty, but ruled only two years before dying of natural causes. He was succeeded by his adopted heir, Trajan, the first Roman emperor from the provinces (Spain), although he was born to an Italian family. Trajan was a popular emperor who enjoyed a long and successful reign (98–117 C.E.). An accomplished general, Trajan spent much of his time on military campaigns. He added the province of Dacia (modern Romania) to the Roman Empire, using the spoils to fund a building program in Rome that included a sprawling marketplace complex. Trajan also added to the Roman Empire the province of Arabia, which included the Nabataean kingdom (106 C.E.). To remove the lucrative trade in incense and spices from Nabataean control, the Romans shifted the caravan trade routes to the north, out of Nabataean territory. As a result, many former Nabataean trading posts became permanent settlements surrounded by desert farms, as the Nabataeans turned to agriculture for their livelihoods.